Poinsettia plant named ‘PER2904’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER2904’, characterized by its uniform, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; late season flowering response; inflorescences with creamy white-colored flower bracts; and excellent post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PER2904’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘PER2904’.

The new Poinsettia a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Poinsettia cultivars having flower bracts with desirable colors, uniform plant habit and excellent post-production longevity.

The new Poinsettia is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as 39-02, not patented. The cultivar PER2904 was discovered and selected by the Inventor from within a population of plants of the parent selection a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif. in December, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif. since February, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar PER2904 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘PER2904’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PER2904’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia:

-   -   1. Uniform, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Late season flowering response; under natural season         conditions, plants flower in about 9 weeks in Encinitas, Calif.     -   5. Inflorescences with creamy white-colored flower bracts.     -   6. Excellent post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the parent selection, primarily in flower bract color as plants of the parent selection had dark red-colored flower bracts with white flecking.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Poinsettia cultivar Peterstar White, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,878. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the cultivar Peterstar White in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia had darker green-colored leaves         than plants of the cultivar Peterstar White.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered a few days later than         plants of the cultivar Peterstar White grown under natural         season conditions.     -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia and the cultivar Peterstar White         differed slightly in flower bract coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Poinsettia. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Poinsettia.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PER2904’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘PER2904’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif. during the winter in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C., night averaged 19° C. and light levels were about 4,000 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Single plants were grown in 16.5-cm pots and pinched one time. Plants were about 19 weeks old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima cultivar PER2904. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of a proprietary     selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as 39-02, not     patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About ten days at 20° C. to 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at             20° C. to 22° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit and form.—Uniform, upright, outwardly spreading             and mounded plant habit; inverted triangle. Inflorescences             positioned above the foliar plane. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 34 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 54 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching             habit, about eleven lateral branches develop after pinching.             Length: About 28 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Internode length:             About 1.8 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: 146A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 14 cm. Width: About 9 cm. Shape: Elliptic;             five-pointed. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute to attenuate.             Margin: Entire or lobed. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture,             upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:             Minute pubescence. Surface: Rugose. Aspect: Mostly flat.             Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:             Darker than 147A; venation, 147C. Developing and fully             expanded foliage, lower surface: 147A; venation, 147C.             Petiole: Length: About 8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: 146B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound             corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the             cyathia. One inflorescence per lateral branch. Flowers are             not fragrant. Flowers persistent. Inflorescences positioned             above the foliage.         -   Natural flowering season.—Autumn/winter; inflorescence             initiation and development is induced under along             nyctoperiod conditions. Late season flowering; response             time, about 9 weeks; natural season flowering maturity date             is early December for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.         -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production             longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good             substance and bract color for about four weeks under             interior conditions.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 36 cm. Height (depth):             About 7 cm.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 24. Length,             largest bracts: About 15.2 cm. Width, largest bracts: About             8.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Mostly             attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Surface: Initially rugose,             becoming smooth with development. Aspect: Initially upright             to eventually flat. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:             Developing or transitional bracts, upper surface: 3A.             Developing or transitional bracts, lower surface: 3B. Fully             developed bracts, upper and lower surfaces: 6D. Venation,             upper and lower surfaces: Similar to flower bract color.             Bract petiole: Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 145A.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About ten. Diameter of cyathia             cluster: About 3.5 cm. Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About             8 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color, immature: 144B. Color, mature:             144C. Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium: About one or two.             Size: About 3 mm by 6 mm. Color: 14A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About             ten. Anther shape: Oval; bi-lobed. Anther length: About             1 mm. Anther color: 160A. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen             color: 12A. Pistils: None observed. Seed/fruit: Seed and             fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Poinsettias. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 15° C. to about     30° C. 

1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘PER2904’ as illustrated and described. 